Valve with interlocking gas cock



Feb, 14, 1967 w. A. RAY I 3,303,866

VALVE WITH INTERLOCKING GAS COCK Filed Nov. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l (0/; waif/0m] W/[Z/AM ,4. 2,4 V

INVENTOR.

Feb. 14, 1967 W. A. RAY

VALVE WITH INTERLOCKING GAS COCK Filed Nov. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 far; 5 4470/50) iV/Z 1/4/14 4. 34%

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,303,866 VALVE WITH INTERLQCKING GAS COCK William A. Ray, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maryland Filed Nov. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 58,964 6 Claims. ((11. 158-131) This invention relates in general to gas valves and in particular to a combination safety gas valve and a manually operable gas cock. Its principal object is to provide a combination valve of the above character in which novel safety means is provided for precluding passage of gas to the pilot or main burner during the time interval between the extinguishment of the pilot flame and the relinquishment of thermocouple control over the gas valve.

In conventional space heater systems, for example, a multi-position manually operable gas cock is connected in series with a safety-type gas valve to selectively control the passage of gas to the combustion chamber of the space heater which incluudes a pilot burner and a main burner. When the gas cock is in one position and the gas valve manually operated, gas is permitted to pass to the pilot burner which when lighted, energizes an associated thermocouple which maintains the gas valve operated in dependently of manual control as long as the thermocouple is energized. When the gas cock is operated to another position and the valve is held operated by thermocouple control, gas is passed to the main burner and is ignited in the normal manner by the pilot burner flame. If the pilot burner flame is extinguished, the thermocouple is deenergized and the safety-type valve is released preventing further passage of gas to the combustion chamber.

Under normal operating conditions and/or component or gas supply failures, these systems are extremely safe. However, it is possible to operate the gas cock either deliberately or accidentally to momentarily interrupt the passage of gas to the pilot burner sufliciently to extinguish the pilot flame and thereafter permit the passage of gas to the main burner during the interval between the extinguishment of the pilot flame and the relinquishment of thermocouple control over the safety gas valve. The amount of gas collected in the combustion chamber during this interval may create an explosive condition. Thus, a broad object of this invention is to preclude an explosive condition from deliberate or unintentional manipulation of the gas cock by providing unique safety means in the combination valve.

It has been proposed to employ fast acting thermocouples which relinquish control over the gas valve as soon as the pilot flame is extinguished. However, due to the thermal characteristic of the material of any thermocouple, some delay time is always present and an explosive condition of some magnitude could thus be created.

According to the present invention, the foregoing dis advantages are overcome by providing safety means which preclude the passage of any gas to the combustion chamber after the pilot is extinguished by gas cock operation until the safety aspect of the gas valve is recovered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination gas valve and gas cock in which safety means for precluding the passage of gas to the combustion chamber until the safety valve has recovered is operable with thermocouples of varying thermal-electrical characteristics.

A further object is to provide a combination gas valve and gas cock in which failure of the gas valve to close when the gas cock has extinguished the pilot burner flame will prevent subsequent effective operation of the gas cock until the valve is restored to its closed position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination safety-type valve and manual gas cock in which mechanical linkage is provided therebetween, which linkage is controlled by the position of the gas valve to mechanically block the movement of the ags cock to a position permitting the passage of any gas to the combustion chamber.

A related object resides in the arrangement wherein the noted mechanical blocking is automatically terminated at the time the thermocouple relinquishes control over the gas valve.

A still further object resides in the arrangement wherein the combination gas valve comprises a manually-reset type valve wherein manual manipulation is necessary to open the valve and wherein the noted linkage serves the dual purpose of valve resetting and gas cock blocking.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent and the invention will be best understood when the specification and claims are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings comprising FIGS. 1 to 6 wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a portion of a space heater system, for example in which the inventive combination gas valve and gas cock are shown in sectional view and in which the combustion chamber elements such as pilot burner, main burner and thermocouple are pictorially shown.

FIG. 1A shows a pictorial view of the combination gas valve and gas cock of FIG. 1 with the cover removed to show more details of the noted mechanical interlinkage.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show sectional views of the inventive gas valve and gas cock in various control positions and the respectively corresponding FIGS. 2A, 3A, and 4A show the noted combination valve with the cover removed to illustrate the correspoding positions of the interlinkage when the gas valve and cock are in the noted various control positions.

FIGS. 5 and 6 correspond respectively to sections of the valve of FIG. 1 taken along lines 55 and 66.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the combination gas valve and gas cock designated generally as 1 has an inlet port 2 from the gas supply or source, an outlet port or main burner port 3 and a pilot port 4. The main burner port 3 is connected by any suitable means to the main burner 5 and the pilot burner port 4 is connected in any suitable manner to the pilot burner 6. The combination gas valve and gas cock 1 controls the flow of gas by means of a valve disc 8 and valve seat 9 which cooperate to permit the passage of gas from port 2 and its associated chamber into chamber 11. A rotatable gas cock plug 12 contains a passageway 13 in continuous communication with chamber 11 and movable with gas cock 12 to selectively interconnect port 4 with chamber 11. Similarly, a main burner passageway 14 is in continuous communication with chamber 11 and movable with gas cock plug 12 to selectively interconnect port 3 with chamber 11.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the passageway 13 comprises a thin wedge-shaped cut-out portion, or sector, with an enlarged center and encompassing an angle in excess of degrees while the passageway 14 comprises a smaller cut-out portion, or bore. The passageways 13 and 14 being an integral part of the plug, remain oriented with each other as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The plug 12 comprises a generally frustoconical element which is seated in a correspondingly shaped aperture. The plug 12 includes an upwardly extending flange 16 located near the central portion of the upper surface of plug 12 and near the outer periphery includes a curved camming section 17 coaxial with the center of plug 12. Camming section 17 has a portion smoothly blending with the upper surface of plug 12 and has a shoulder 18 which is at right angles to the surface of plug 12. The flange 16 and cam- 3 ming section 17 are best seen in auxiliary FIGS. 1A and 4A. The shoulder 18 is best seen in FIG. 3A.

A valve dial 19 is slidingly and rotatably mounted in cover 25 coaxially with the plug 12 and is urged away from plug 12 by spring means 15. The spring means also urges plug 12 in sealing relation with its seat. A shaft 20 has one end rigidly secured to the dial 19 and the other end rigidly secured to a circular driver element or disc 21 which has a portion cut-out to receive flange 16. The cut-out portion, best seen in FIG. 24, is arranged to contact both sides of flange 16 through all of the sliding and rotating positions of disc 21. Disc 21 includes tab means 22, which projects radially beyond the circular periphery of the disc.

A valve disc stem 23 is rotatably and slidingly mounted with one end positioned by hearing aperture 24 of the cover 25 and an intermediate section positioned by bearing surface 26 near the top of an electromagnet housing 27 which is located within the main valve body. The end of stem 23, located Within the electromagnetic housing 27, contains an armature 28 which is located immediately adjacent to the electromagnet pole pieces 29. The portion of stem 23 located between the two bearing surfaces 24 and 26 is rigidly secured to a valve disc 8. Spring means 30 located between the housing 27 and valve disc 8 continually urges the disc 8 in sealing relationship with valve seat 9 to normally block the passage of gas from port 2 to chamber 11.

An electromagnet coil 31 surrounding the pole piece 29 is connected to thermocouple 7, which by well-known action, is capable of generating suflicient voltage when heated to energize the magnet coil 31. However, when the armature 28 is in its illustrated position in FIG. 1, the flux in the magnet coil 31 generated as a result of the heating of the thermocouple 7 is insuflicient to overcome the compression of spring means 30 and move armature 28 into association with pole piece 29. On the other hand, the noted generated flux is sufiicient to hold the armature and pole piece in contacting relation once the armature and pole piece are brought into mechanical contact.

As best seen in auxiliary FIGS. 1A to 4A, a detent 32 is pivotably mounted at one end and has finger-like extension means or tip 34 positioned in underlying relationship with tab means 22 when tab means 22 is in the position shown most clearly in FIG. 2A. Detent 32 includes an aperture 34 which permits the passage of a reduced portion of the shank of stem 23. Spring means 33 continually urges detent 32 into mechanical association with a shoulder of stem 23 created by the formation of a reduced shank portion.

When the stem 23 and armature 28 are in their illustrated position in FIG. 1, the tip 34 of detent 32 is positioned above and out of associative relationship with the top of plug 12 and is not in the path of camming surface 17. However. when the valve stem armature 28 is in its illustrated position in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the tip 34 of detent 32 is near the surface of plug 12 and is thus in the path of camming surface 17 when the plug 12 is rotated.

The dial 19 has three separate and distinct positions which may be designated as Ofl, Pilot and On. FIGS. 1A and 4A show the location of tab means 22 and the camming surface 18 when the dial is in its 011 position. FIG. 2A shows the location of these elements when the dial 19 is in its Pilot position, and FIG. 3A shows the location of the tab and camming surface when the dial is in its On position. It will be noted that the tab means 22 and tip 34 of detent 32 are in vertical aligntnent only in the Pilot position of dial 19. Also, it will be noted that in the Off position, both passageways 13 and 14 are closed and not in communication with their respective ports; that in the Pilot position, passageway 14 is closed, but passageway 13 isin communication with pilot port 4; and that in the On position, passageways 4 13 and 14 are both in communication with their respective ports 4 and 3.

The operation of the combination gas valve and gas cock will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the dial 19 is in its 011 position, the passageways 13 and 14 are blocked from communication with their respective pilot and main burner ports, and the valve disc 8 is seated on valve seat 9. At this time, no gas passes to the pilot burner or main burner and the thermocouple 7 is de-energized. In this OPE condition, tip 34 of detent 32 is positioned above and out of the path of camming surface 17 and positioned out of vertical alignment with shoulder 18. Tab 22 normally positioned at a level above the detent 32 by the action of spring 15 is out of vertical alignment with the tip 34 of detent 32. If dial 19 is depressed while in the Off position, the tab 22 does not contact tip 34 and no control is exercised over detent 32 to move valve stem 23.

\Vhen the user desires to place the space heater in operation, the dial 19 is rotated to the Pilot position by turning dial 19 approximately a quarter of a turn in a clockwise direction when viewed from the top of the valve assembly. The position of the plug 12 and tab 22 in the Pilot condition after dial 19 has been depressed and the pilot burner lighted, is shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A. It will be noted that passageway 13 now interconnects chamber 11 with the pilot port 4. Also, it will be noted that tab 22 is directly above tip 34 of detent 32.

When dial 19 is depressed as mentioned, tab 22 engages tip 34 and depresses detent 32. As detent 32 is depressed, it contacts the shoulder position of stem 23 and moves it downwardly until armature 28 abuts against pole piece 29. In this position valve disc 8 is moved away from seat '9 permitting gas to flow from the inlet port 2 to the pilot port 4. At this time the pilot burner is ignited and after a time interval suflicient for the thermocouple to generate a holding current, the dial 19 is released. The position of the valve seat and disc is shown in FIG. 2.

If dial 19 was released without the pilot burner being lighted and thermocouple 7 energized, spring 30 would cause stem 23 to return to its illustrated position in FIG. 1 and re-seat disc 8 on seat 9, blocking the noted flow of gas to pilot port 4.

The usual pilot flame strikes the thermocouple 7 causing it to heat and generate suflicient current to energize electromagnet coil 31. When coil 31 is energized, the resulting flux traverses pole piece 29 and since armature 28 is in contact therewith, armature 28 is held in its illustrated position. If, at this time, dial 19 is released, it returns to its normal position but stem 23 does not return as it is held in position by the flux traversing the armature 28. Thus, in the Pilot position, with the pilot burner ignited and thermocouple 7 energized, gas continues to pass from the inlet port 2 to the pilot burner.

If the pilot burner flame is extinguished for any reason, thermocouple 7 cools and by the consequent de-energization of the coil 31, permits spring 30 to restore the stem 23 and valve disc 8 to their normal closed position. This is one well-known safety feature of the valve assembly.

As long as the pilot burner flame continues and armature 28 is in its attracted position, rotation of dial 19 to ts On position will cause passageway 14 of plug 12 to interconnect chamber 11 with the burner port 3. In a manually operated system, gas will then pass to the main burner which is ignited by the pilot flame. In automatic systems, the passage of gas to the main burner would be under thermostat control, for example.

The position of the gas plug 12 interconnecting chamber 11 with the pilot and main burner and the position of the valve stem 23 in the On position is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 3A.

If the dial 19 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to its Pilot position, passageway 14 is blocked and the main burner flame is extinguished, but the pilot flame remains and thermocouple 7 remains energized.

If the dial 19 is further rotated to its Off position, passageway 13 is blocked and the pilot flame is extinguished. Shortly thereafter the thermocouple cools and deenergizes coil 31 permitting the valve disc 8 to seat on valve seat 9. At that time, the shoulder of stem 23 returns detent 32 to its position illustrated in FIG. 1.

In prior-art combination valve and gas cock assemblies, it is possible for the user to turn dial 19 to the Off position and immediately thereafter rapidly turn the dial 19 back to the On position. If the noted return to the On position is rapid enough, passageway 14 is placed in communication with the main burner port 4 before thermocouple 7 cools sufliciently to de-energize coil 31. Under such condition, a large volume of gas may pass to the main burner without any pilot flame being present. Shortly thereafter, the thermocouple 7 relinquishes control over the electromagnet but a dangerous explosive condition may have already been created. If the user attempts to soon thereafter light the pilot burner, an explosion could result.

This dangerous situation, whether caused intentional or inadvertently, can be obviated by the present invention wherein the tip 34 of detent 32 and camming section 18 cooperate to preclude the noted rapid turning of the dial to the On position.

According to the present invention, it is to be noted that when dial 19 is turned to its Off position from its Pilot position while the pilot is lighted, the tip 34 of detent 32 positioned near the upper surface of plug 12 rides over camming section 17 and by the action of spring 33 drops down to a position near the upper surface of plug 12 in abutting relation with shoulder 18. The tip 34 of detent 32 remains in this position as long as valve stem 23 has its armature attached to pole piece 29 by the current from thermocouple 7. The positions of detent 32, armature 28 and plug 12 when the valve is in the Off position with the thermocouple energized is shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A.

If the user attempts the noted return rotation of dial 19 to the On position from the Off position with the thermocouple energized, the tip 34 of detent 32 abuts shoulder 13 of camming section 17 and mechanically preeludes any rotation of the dial 19 until the valve stem 23 is restored to its closed position. Thus, passageway 14- cannot be placed in communication with the main burner and no explosive condition is created.

When the thermocouple 7 cools and relinquishes control over the electromagnet assembly, valve stem 23 is restored and the tip 34 of detent 32 is moved out of abutting relationship with camming shoulder 18. Thereafter, the normal re-lighting procedure can be followed without danger of explosion from accumulated gas in the combustion chamber.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that many variations could be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, any type of fluid could be used instead of gas, the detent could be provided independently of a reset control which mechanically moves the valve stem, and the electromagnet assembly could be replaced with other suitable holding means controlled by the thermocouple.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a fluid valve having an open and a closed position for controlling the passage and non-passage of fluid from an inlet to an outlet through said valve, control means having a closed position and an open position for blocking and unblocking said fluid passage, means for operating the control means and the fluid valve to their open positions, and safety means operable responsive to the restoration of the control means to its closed position for precluding the reoperation of the control means to its open position during the time interval the fluid valve is in its open position.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the said safety means comprises mechanical linkage between the control means and the fluid valve and wherein said mechanical linkage is disabled responsive to the restoration of the fluid valve to its closed position.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein the said mechanical linkage includes means controlled by the control means for operating the fluid valve to its said open position.

4. In combination, a fluid valve having an open and a closed position for controlling the passage and non passage of fluid from an inlet to an outlet through the fluid valve, control means having a closed position and an open position for blocking and unblocking the said fluid passage, fluid receiving means associated with the said outlet, means for operating the control means and the fluid valve to their open positions to permit the passage of fluid from the said inlet through the said outlet to the fluid receiving means, first safety means responsive to the continued passage of fluid to the said fluid receiving means for maintaining the fluid valve in its open position, auxiliary safety means operable responsive to the restoration of the control means to its closed position for precluding the reoperation of the control means to its open position during the time interval the fluid valve is in its open position, the said first safety means restoring the fluid valve to its closed position responsive to the nonpassage of fluid to the said fluid receiving means, and means responsive to the restoration of the fluid valve for disabling the auxiliary safety means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein the said auxiliary safety means is independent of the response characteristics of the fluid receiving means in responding to said non-passage of fluid thereto.

6. In combination, a fluid valve having an open and a closed position for controlling the passage of fluid from an inlet to a pilot burner, means for igniting the fluid passing to said burner while said fluid valve is in its open position, thermocouple means responsive to the continued ignition of said fluid for maintaining the fluid valve in its open position and responsive to the cessation of said ignition for restoring the fluid valve to its closed position, fluid cock means for interrupting the said passage of fluid, and safety means for precluding the re-establishrnent of fluid flow after said interruption during the time interval said thermocouple means is maintaining the said fluid valve in its open position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,213,844 9/1940 Mantz 137637.1 X 2,224,290 12/1940 Corbin 137--637.1 2,607,406 8/1952 Caparone 158131 FOREIGN PATENTS 155,272 8/ 1932 Switzerland.

FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner.

mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 303,866 Dated February 14, 1967 Inventor(s) William A. Ray

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In Fig. 1, change the position of tab 22 to make it consistent with the 1 showing in Fig. 1A In Figs. 2 and 3, reverse the structure shown above gas plug 12, i.e., that structure shoun in Fig 2 should be shown in Fig. 3, and vice versa In Fig. 4, add the background line at the top of gas cook 12 Column 3, Line 64, replace "18" with --17-. Column 4, Line 22, replace "clockwise" with counterclockwise-. Column 4, Line 72, replace "counterclockwise with clockwise-.

SlGNED AND SEALED DEBZSNB (SEAL) Attest:

M0 Fletch, I 7 E0 JR- Attesfing Officer flommissioner of Patents 

1. IN COMBINATION, A FLUID VALVE HAVING AN OPEN AND A CLOSED POSITION FOR CONTROLLING THE PASSAGE AND NON-PASSAGE OF FLUID FROM AN INLET TO AN OUTLET THROUGH SAID VALVE, CONTROL MEANS HAVING A CLOSED POSITION AND AN OPEN POSITION FOR BLOCKING AND UNBLOCKING SAID FLUID PASSAGE, MEANS FOR OPERATING THE CONTROL MEANS AND THE FLUID VALVE TO THEIR OPEN POSITIONS, AND SAFETY MEANS OPERABLE RESPONSIVE TO THE RESTORATION OF THE CONTROL MEANS TO ITS CLOSED POSITION FOR PRECLUDING THE RE-OPERATION OF THE CONTROL MEANS TO ITS OPEN POSITION DURING THE TIME INTERVAL THE FLUID VALVE IS IN ITS OPEN POSITION. 